Dr. Eng, Karen
Dr. Karen Eng has over 25 years of experience in the professional services/engineering industry and providing outstanding technical, financial, and operational service to align teams to successfully strategize and execute manufacturing solutions. As a CEO, she has a proven track record of developing successful global growth strategies that enable organizations to scale, innovate and expand market share.
Karen is the President and CEO of CSMI, a privately held engineering firm specializing in the FDA & USDA regulated industries. Karen’s career demonstrates her flexibility to work with small growing organizations to medium privately-owned companies to Fortune 100 corporations. Her close work with the Food Drug Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, Minority Business Development Agency, the International Trade Administration, and the Export-Import Bank of the United States has led CSMI to be one of the top engineering consulting services firms in both domestic and foreign markets.
Karen is a member of several prominent Boards, including National Asian/Pacific Islander American Chamber of Commerce & Entrepreneurship (ACE) & APIAVote for which she serves as the current Board Chair. She is involved in national board positions with the New England College of Optometry, Asian Pacific American Leadership Foundation, the Asian Hustle Network Foundation & the Committee of 100.
In Chicago, she serves an advisory and board role in the Chinese Mutual Aid Association (CMAA), Asian American Coalition of Chicago (AACC), and the Asian American Executive Network (AAEN).
She received her Bachelor of Science degree in both Biochemistry & Biology from the University of California, San Diego and her Doctorate of Optometry from the New England College of Optometry.
Gomez, Fidel
Fidel Gomez serves as PepsiCo’s Government Affairs and Public Policy Manager. In this capacity Mr. Gomez supports and manages PepsiCo’s State & local governmental affairs, stakeholder relationships and community engagement in California and in the Western US Region. Previously, Mr. Gomez served as the Director of Corporate & Foundation Relations for the University of La Verne, where he was responsible for the strategic engagement of government, community, and external stakeholders. Additionally, he spearheaded a comprehensive development campaign to engage and steward corporations & foundations and key stakeholders of the institution and the community.
Additionally, Mr. Gomez served in the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) – Los Angeles Network, under the College of Business & Public Management hosted by the University of La Verne, where he was responsible for the implementation and delivery of technical assistance services and programming to start-ups, and established small businesses and entrepreneurs in the San Gabriel Valley region. His work was instrumental in creating an ecosystem and alignment for community, state, and federal stakeholders while leading a team of professionals to assist local businesses to start and/or grow and access capital for their businesses.
Prior to joining the University of La Verne Mr. Gomez served and acquired an extensive background in High-end, luxury and corporate retail where he provided strategic direction to assist with new store openings, sales, operations, and retail management for companies such as Brooks Brothers, Original Penguin, BCBG, Bloomindale’s & C-Wonder.
Mr. Gomez has had an active role on economic development, professional and community boards that include the California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce (CHCC), Orange County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (OCHCC), TELACU Education Foundation, Bresee Foundation, and the Latino Advisory Board for the Orange County Soccer Club. He has also advised the national engagement of the Latino Food Industry Association and has served on past boards and advised organizations such as: San Gabriel Valley Economic Partnership, LA Area Chamber of Commerce – One LA Regional Collaborative, & ALPFA (Association of Latino Professionals for America) OC Chapter.
Mr. Gomez is a proud TELACU – David C. Lizarraga & Riordan fellow from the Southern California Leadership Network and an active community leader. Mr. Gomez was also a founding board member and past VP for the Orange County Youth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Gomez is passionate about empowering and collaborating with emerging leaders and youth to create pathways to higher education, economic development, and social mobility. Mr. Gomez grew up in México City where he developed the desire to study and emerge himself in International Business from an early age. Mr. Gomez holds a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in International Business from Cal State University, Fullerton. He also holds an MBA degree with an emphasis in Marketing & International Business from the University of La Verne, College of Business & Public Management.
Duong, Kathy
Kathy Duong is a legislative and local government professional with her work rooted in government affairs, public policy, and community engagement.
Kathy is currently a Public Policy Manager with Amazon, leading public policy and outreach within local communities throughout Northern California. She is passionate about equity access and forging successful public/private partnerships that benefit the community. Before joining Amazon, Duong worked for nearly a decade as a Government and Community Engagement Affairs Director in Silicon Valley working with the largest tech companies in the region. She also served as a Public Policy Director in San Jose City Council.
Kathy earned her Associate of Arts degree at De Anza College, Landscape Architecture and City and Regional Planning undergraduate degree at the University of California, Berkeley, and Public Policy and Management masters degree at Carnegie Mellon University. She currently also serves as a Boardmember for the Southeast Asian Resource Action Center (SEARAC), a national civil rights organization, and San Francisco Bay Area Planning and Urban Research Association, a public policy organization. She was named Silicon Valley’s 40 Under 40 by the Silicon Valley Business Journal in 2019. Born and raised in San Jose, Kathy is proud to have roots in a city that welcomed her immigrant parents and together with her husband, Frank, are now raising their daughter in Downtown San Jose. Kathy loves spending time with her family and they can be found connecting with the community at their shop, Academic Coffee, on the weekends.
